Question

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after its reappearance in the 1920s, the ku klux klan:

a. became a secret organization with a limited membership.
b. restricted itself to the southern states instead of the entire country.
c. formed a political party to oppose racial discrimination.
d. began to target other groups in addition to black americans.

Explanation:

Analyze the 1920s Ku Klux Klan

The question asks about the characteristics of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) after its reappearance in the 1920s (often referred to as the "Second Klan"). Unlike the Reconstruction-era Klan, which operated primarily as a secret Southern vigilante group focused on terrorizing newly freed African Americans, the 1920s Klan expanded its scope significantly in terms of geography, membership, and targets.

Evaluate the answer choices

• A. became a secret organization with a limited membership. This is incorrect. The 1920s Klan was a highly visible, mainstream organization with millions of members nationwide, holding public parades (such as marching down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.) and openly participating in politics.
• B. restricted itself to the southern states instead of the entire country. This is incorrect. The Second Klan achieved massive popularity outside the South, particularly in Midwestern and Western states like Indiana, Ohio, Oregon, and Colorado.
• C. formed a political party to oppose racial discrimination. This is incorrect. The Klan was a white supremacist, nativist organization that promoted discrimination and sought to influence existing political parties rather than forming its own anti-discrimination party.
• D. began to target other groups in addition to Black Americans. This is correct. Driven by the nativism of the post-WWI era, the 1920s Klan expanded its hostility to include Catholics, Jews, immigrants, communists, and modernists, alongside their traditional target of Black Americans.

Answer:

• (A) became a secret organization with a limited membership.
• (B) restricted itself to the southern states instead of the entire country.
• (C) formed a political party to oppose racial discrimination.
• (D) began to target other groups in addition to Black Americans. (Correct answer)